Handle attaching machine

ABSTRACT

A handle attaching machine is provided for applying molded plastic handles to gable-topped cartons such as milk cartons or the like. The machine has an input at one end for receiving the cartons and an output at the other end to expel the cartons after handles have been applied thereto. A conveying path communicates between the input and output of the machine along which cartons are transported, and stop means are provided at separate work stations within the machine to stop transport of the cartons twice, once for punching a hole in the carton and another time for attaching a handle thereto. A magazine-loading mechanism is located on top of the machine to receive a plurality of molded plastic handles in the form of a stack of strips of such handles which are fed to a handle-applying station whereat the handles are severed from the strip and applied to the carton. The handle has bendable side portions which terminate at free ends. One of the free ends has an aperture and the other of the free ends has a deformable stem extending therefrom which passes through the aperture in the carton and the aperture of the first free end. Hammer means are provided at the handle-applying station to cooperate with the handle-applying means permanently to flatten or deform the stem for securing the handle to the carton.

' tes Patent [191 Hidding et a1.

[ HANDLE ATTACHlNG MACHINE [7 5] Inventors: Walter E. Hidding, Arlington Heights, 111.; Hermann Rocker, Dettingen; Hugo Beck, Huelben, both of Germany 1 [73] Assignee: said Hidding, by said Rocker & Beck [22] Filed: Feb. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 222,599

Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager Att0rney-Roy H. Olson et a].

[57] ABSTRACT A handle attaching machine is provided for applying Nov. 27, 1973 molded plastic handles to gable-topped cartons such as milk cartons or the like. The machine has an input at one end for receiving the cartons and an output at the other end to expel the cartons after handles have been applied thereto. A conveying path communicates between the input and output of the machine along which cartons are transported, and stop means are provided at separate work stations within the machine to stop transport of the cartons twice, once for punching a hole in the carton and another time for attaching a handle thereto. A magazine-loading mechanism is located on top of the machine to receive a plurality of molded plastic handles in the form of a stack of strips of such handles which are fed to a handle-applying station whereat the handles are severed from the strip and applied to the carton. The handle has bendable side portions which terminate at free ends. One of the free ends has an aperture and the other of the free ends has a deformable stern extending therefrom which passes through the aperture in the carton and the aperture of the first free end. Hammer means re provided at the handle-applying station to cooperate with the handle-applying means permanently to flatten or deform the stem for securing the handle to the carton.

9 Claims, 35 Drawing Figures Patented Nov. 27, 1973 3,774,285

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Patented Nov. 27, 1973 21 Sheets-Shoot 9 Patented Nov. 27, 1973 21 Sheets-Shut 10 fi if Paitented Nov. 27, 1973 21 Sheets-Shut 11 Patented Nov. 27, 1913' 3,774,285

21 Shoots-Shut 12 Patented Nov. 27, 1973 21 Sheets-Shoot l4 Patented Nov. 27, 1973 21 Shoots-Shut lb Patented Nov. 27, 1973 3,774,285

I 21 Sheets-s 16 Patented Nov. 27, 1973 121 Shoots-Shut iv Patented Nov. 27, 1973 21 Sheets-Shoot 1 a 

1. A machine for applying handles to cartons comprising, conveying path means through the machine along which a plurality of cartons are to be transported, a punching station having punch means thereat and extending toward said conveying path means for forming an aperture in a handle-receiving portion of each carton as it passes said punching station, a handle-stacking station having support and guide means for holding a plurality of similarly oriented strips of handles, handle-feeding means to advance a strip of handles one handle at a time, and a handleapplying station having handle-holding and applying arms to receive a single handle from said handle-stacking station automatically to sever said handle from its associated strip and applying said handle to the carton.
 2. The machine of claim 1 further including stop means at said punching station temporarily to stop transport of the cartons passing therethrough, said punch means including a hollow support arm pivotal near one end thereof remote from said conveying path means and a punch mechanism at the free end of said arm and located over said conveying path means, a linearly movable rod passing through said hollow arm to actuate said punch mechanism, a rotatable cam shaft, first and second cam follower means associated with said cam shaft, said first cam follower means arranged to move said hollow arm downwardly over the carton when stopped by said stop means, and said second cam follower means arranged to move said rod within said arm to actuate said punch mechanism, said first cam follower means being arranged for subsequently raising said arm to remove said punch mechanism from the carton.
 3. The machine of claim 2 further including third cam follower means associated with said cam shaft, a link extending from said third cam follower means and connected to said handle-holding and applying arms to operate the same in timed relation with respect to said punch mechanism.
 4. The machine of claim 3 which further includes means for operating said punch mechanism and said handle-holding and applying means simultaneously.
 5. The machine of claim 3 further including a fourth cam Follower means, a pusher linearly movable in the direction of said conveying path means to push said handle to a folded position after it is applied to the carton, and a second link connecting said fourth cam fllower means and said pusher.
 6. The machine of claim 1 further including sensing switches to sense the presence of cartons in the machine automatically to initiate operation of the machine and automatically to terminate operation of the machine when the cartons have decreased to a predetermined number.
 7. The machine of claim 6 wherein said predetermined number of cartons is two.
 8. The machine of claim 1 wherein said punch means is arranged to form apertures through the upwardly extending ridge portions of a gabled-top cartons.
 9. The machine of claim 8 wherein said gabled-top carton is a milk carton. 